


Welcome Home

by thejeeperswife



Series: Cullen Rutherford Appreciation Week 2019 [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Childbirth, Disability, Don't copy to another site, F/M, Family, Family Reunion, Happy Ending, Lyrium Addiction, Mabari, New Baby, New Beginnings, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, happy tears, settling down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 19:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20452535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejeeperswife/pseuds/thejeeperswife
Summary: Evie and Cullen travel to South Reach to meet Cullen's family.  The new husband and wife are frightened about the initial meeting, but Evie has a few aces up her sleeves.Part of Cullen Rutherford Appreciation Week 2019





	Welcome Home

“Oh shit, oh damn, oh fuck, oh crap, oh Void…” Evie mumbled under her breath, while slowing her Fereldan Forder, Griffon, to a trot. Her right hand tightened, twisted the reins, and relaxed again as they approached the wattle-and-daub farmhouse at the dirty road’s end.

It was the moment the former inquisitor had been both dreading and overly excited about for years. On one hand, Mia and she traded letter constantly since her younger brother _finally_ admitted he admired and accidently slipped that Cullen had a growing crush on the Herald of Andraste. By the time Mia’s initial letter arrived at Griffon Wing Keep in the Western Approach, the commander and she began their grand love affair.

Mia Grieve nee Rutherford’s first initial letter screamed two very apparent things: Cullen told his family _nothing_ about his life and that the eldest Rutherford siblings was _very_ protective of her siblings. So, when the commander spoke more than two sentences about his new leader, Inquisitor Evelyn Trevelyan, the family knew there was more going on than just Cullen’s divinely blessed leader. Within not so many words, Mia excitedly wanted to know about the noble-born mage, while at the same time she admitted she knew how to use a hoe and would not hesitate batting Evie’s head like a melon and feeding her decaying corpse to the hogs.

Evie’s first reply letter must have buried any apprehensions the Rutherford Family still had because correspondence between the clan and Evie never slowed. For the last two years, she traded letters with Mia and Rosaline respectfully. Branson and his son added small notes to the Inquisitor towards the end. The four year old’s runic letters improved the longer he practiced. The last letter before Cullen and Evie officially retired the Inquisition and left Skyhold, Branson’s son, Lynton, successfully wrote his name and it did not look like druffalo poop on the parchment.

However, Cullen They-Know-I’m-Okay-And-Have-Too-Much-To-Do-Than-Write-Them Rutherford never sent his family any statuses. Two letters were pinned by the commander: that first letter when they arrived at Skyhold after the fall of Haven and a note stating Evie and he would finally be meeting the family after the Exalted Council. Rosalie’s letter early on clued Evie that Cullen’s allusiveness began over a decade before. When he attended the templar academy in Denerim and later stationed at Kinloch Hold, the young man nearly wrote a letter a month so thick the courier charged double for delivery.

Then the Fifth Blight hit. The Rutherford siblings lost their parents fleeing Honnleath. Cullen never wrote again.

Evie knew why Cullen’s letters stopped, but it was not her place to tell, only Cullen’s. She worked for the last year assisting overcoming his anxiety and apprehension on telling others his traumas. They had agreed they wished to begin a sanctuary for templars who wanted to stop lyrium and a place for orphaned mage children to learn without automatically going to the new College of Enchanters, still too young to begin teaching children yet. After all, Fiona’s and Vivienne’s mini-civil war erupted despite the Inquisitor’s and Divine’s full support behind Fiona. Vivienne never did well with giving up power. However, if Cullen wanted to assist other templars breaking their lyrium chains, he must be willing to tell his own story and the struggles to overcome deep traumas while suffering with lyrium withdrawal. 

Cullen first told his templar friends within the Inquisition, including Rylen, Hugh, Barris. Lysette, and a few others. The former commander feared they would call him a fool, but his friends all opened up about their own templar experiences. By the time Evie went searching Skyhold for her lover, she discovered the group all in tears hugging one another hip-deep in empty ale casks. A former Circle mage seeing a group of bawling and hugging ex-templars topped the Inquisitor’s unbelievable moments list. Corypheus’ existence slipped to Number Three after she witnessed Cassandra smooch Varric during that Wicked Grace game. Sorry, Solas,—_eer_ _Fen’Harel_—you only take Number Four…

Those same ex-templars told Cullen they will become his first new patients once Evie and he finished building the sanctuary. King Alistair gifted a former bann’s land to the cause and Leliana—she meant _Divine Victoria_—provided the funds for the first five years until they could gain new donors. They only had a few more months before everything hit the ground running.

Now, Cullen’s greatest test came with telling his family. It was high time after nearly fifteen years of worry, anguish, anger, and guilt. They all needed to empty their souls to understand what each person felt. Evie knew by Branson’s short writings he fully blamed his older brother for essentially abandoning his parents and siblings to go play hero in the Circles. Evidently, Branson’s anger originated since the day Cullen declared he wanted to be a templar. During the Blight, Branson was forced to be the man of the house after their father died in the darkspawn attack and his brother was far away “playing hero”. Those wounds would take years to overcome. Abigail, Branson’s wife, wrote Evie too. She slowly nudged her husband to begin reflecting on those buried hurts, while Evie let Cullen figure out his missing presence hurt his younger brother. Meaning, both parties did not escape the Blight with fond memories. Alas, wives—Evie sighed happily remembering she was_ finally_ Cullen’s wife—can only do so much with such stubborn Rutherford men.

Mia discussed and shared via letters her trials and trepidations throughout the years. The woman wrote bluntly and refused to sugarcoat her gripes. Evie and she shared very similar mindsets. Although, Evie allowed her mistrust and short-temper to flare more quickly, while Mia did not know when to stop pushing. The eldest Rutherford constantly asked Evie what drove Cullen away. The ex-Inquisitor just repeated it was not her struggles to tell. Only Cullen could be honest with her. 

Mia explained what happened after fleeing Honnleath. Following the Blight, the Arl of South Reach needed new workers to sow the land. Much of the workforce died during the Blight, especially when Lothering fell to the darkspawn. He offered any new residents their own plot of land and to live as actual landowners than just being tenant farmers. His only request was that these new farmers must work a part of his own farmland as a service fee each year. The Rutherford family had been tenant farmers, only gathering a few acres of their own over the last few generations. This opportunity was once of a lifetime. 

Alas, Mia was the only true adult out of the family. Branson was barely sixteen and Rosalie just turned thirteen. Mia made a very difficult decision to find a husband that was willing to support her siblings. Her dowry would be the gifted plots of land from the arl. The Maker smiled upon the eldest Rutherford for she met and fell in love with already private landowner named Gareth Grieves. Apparently, he cared deeply for the Rutherfords, accepting them as his own family on their combined land. The marriage allowed Branson to actually receive a blacksmith apprenticeship instead of being a farmer. Of course, he still assisted the farm each autumn harvest. Now almost twenty-five, Rosalie still had not married, happy living with her every-growing family and not dealing with “pig-headed suitors”.

Speaking of the youngest Rutherford sibling, Rosalie rarely wrote about Cullen and her relationship in letters. She found Evie and she’s penpal friendship rewarding, especially since Rosalie dreamed of travelling the world and learning new cultures. Evie had invited the young woman to Skyhold to visit and work possibly with Josephine on diplomatic missions. She wrote eloquently and demonstrated talent in finding peaceful resolutions via negotiations. Alas, Mia forbid her from travelling during Corypheus’ War. From Rosalie’s writing tone, it was just an excuse to cover up the fact she feared meeting her brother. The young lady slipped a few times she remembered little about her eldest brother. He left when she was just six years old. For a time, the family believed Cullen died during the Blight since he did not write or search from them after the fall of Honnleath. Rosalie mourned the brother she barely remembered until Mia located him in Kirkwall. _He is like a ghost, just out of mind, but always on Mia’s melancholy lips and Branson’s spitting curses if he hears that name. I know more about the courier who delivers your letters, Evie, than my own flesh and blood,_ the youngest Rutherford admitted once.

Evie told herself the first time receiving Mia’s initial letter, she would not meddle in the family’s affairs. She suffered enough with her half-sister Patricia’s evilness within House Trevelyan. While the bitch no longer had any titles and lived the rest of her life in an Orlesian pauper prison, extended family relations will never recover. Evie’s parents no longer lived, both passing away during Corypheus’ War by disease and old age. Her own brothers never saw the beginning of the Templar-Mage War. Evie headed her family even though a mage, but vowed to let the centralized family break apart along the branches until the house’s name was lost to time. Evie knew if she stepped into Rutherford issues, they would quickly become a less publicized version of House Trevelyan.

Yet, it never set well for the former Herald of Andraste to _not_ help connect the baby sister and sullen eldest brother. Cullen could benefit greatly from Rosalie’s positive lively outlook. She already suggested to her husband that Rosalie could act as an ambassador and steward at the new sanctuary. She knew everyone in southern Ferelden it seemed since most of the male population attempted to court her. (The broody commander did not like that fact at all!) Cullen hated nobility enough that he would likely burn bridges getting donations than procuring any. Evie spoke little about Rosalie’s hesitations, only that they both are not the same people as before. _‘Possibly treat Rosalie like a new comrade: open, honest, and with care. If you act like she was a fragile little girl, she will like bean you with a broom!’_ Evie had advised, while seeing the mental image flash behind Cullen’s amber surprised eyes over dinner the evening before their arrival.

Evie Rutherford knew this was going to be the most awkward family reunion ever. It will likely make Cullen meeting her noble parents a few years ago look like a usual Friday night in the Herald’s Rest. However, the inferno mage had _two _aces up her sleeve-

Muted whines and chirps echoed behind Evie. One ace, Cullen’s newly adopted grey mabari, Surana, glanced up at the mage, whimpered back. The war hound never lingered far from the now one-armed woman and the other precious ace. Evie glanced over her shoulder, brushing her amber hair away from her bright green gaze. The frame pack on Evie’s back moved against her shoulder blades. Those old Circle whip scars along her back sensitized her nerves, telling her exactly the second ace had awaken and likely hungry.

Like he could read Evie’s thoughts, Cullen stopped his black Inquisition steed, Alkippos, and hopped off his overly-packed saddle. “Just in time to alarm the surrounding arlings of her presence,” the weathered ex-templar chuckled once his dirty armored boots hit the dirt. He moved to Evie’s stallion’s side, holding the reins so Evie can shift her weight and slowly dismount Griffon with only one arm. 

Over the last month, the new disability was the least of the inferno mage’s problems. Disbanding the Inquisition easily became the best decision she ever made. She was done playing hero, her Inner Circle moved on with their lives, and if she had to suck up to one more Orlesian diplomat, she would have summoned a firestorm over the whole empire. Yes, her former apostate friend threatened to end the world. Yes, the ancient god caused the huge mess she cleaned up. Yes, he promised to tear down the veil.

_However…!_

Evie’s boots stomped against the ground, rippling the hard impact through her legs, up her spine, and into the frame pack. Instantly, blood-curdling screams echoed throughout the surrounding woods acting like Scout Jim’s blasted war horn every time she arrived back in Skyhold. Evie winced as Cullen pinched his nose to not let the cries give him a migraine.

“She gets that from you!” Her husband hollered over the wails.

“The loudness is yours!” Evie yelled back, allowing her maimed left arm to untie from the brace and strap similar to the Iron Bull’s great axe holster. 

Cullen learned the hard way to stand back and let Evie go through the motions. The new mother demanded the first few times to figure out how to care for her child with only one arm. Dorian recommended some Tevinter force magic spells might help, demonstrating on the new babe so that he could hold the bundle of joy without the threat of being pooped, peed, or puked on. Cullen nearly had a heart attack at the Great Cathedral during the Divine’s blessing by Leliana—_eer Victoria!_ Ugh! Varric loved every moment of that sideshow.

Until Sera and Dagna figured out and perfected Evie’s new mana-powered dwarven mechanical arm, this will be Evie’s foreseeable future.

In the distance, several pairs of running feet ran up the dirt road. Instantly, Evie’s magic summoned a barrier over her husband, mabari, child, and herself. Cullen and Surana the Mabari went into defensive position in front of the horses and her. Her husband’s hand reached for his trusty longsword on his hip and his Inquisition shield on his armored back. How many highwaymen and bandits had they killed and help arrest travelling the Fereldan countryside? Alistair better give them stipends at this point.

Almost as soon as the threat sounded, Evie dropped her barriers and Cullen relaxed. His amber eyes widened, while he somewhat shuddered. A cloud of dust puffed and whirled behind the charging group of blonde curly haired adults and children. Out front was the matriarch just the way Cullen had described and Evie imagined. On her hip was a toddler, no more than two, bouncing like she was on a pony ride. Surrounding the woman was a few more children, the eldest daughter holding another toddler, this time a young boy about four. Behind them as another adult woman but with more light brown tones to her curls.

“I’ve never been so scared…” Cullen mumbled under his breath. “Give me Adamant or Kirkwall any day than _this!_”

“_Cullen Stanton Rutherford!”_ The matriarch hollered about twenty feet away.

“I’m a dead man…” The former commander muttered, searching around for a bear or red templar to tear him to pieces.

“Meet your fate like a man, my Lion.” Evie giggled, finally retrieving the bundled apple in her husband’s whiskey eye from the frame pack one-handed (and some force magic while Cullen was worrying over the dust cloud). The bundle’s wails now were just whimpers and rough coos. Evie hoped to have her fed and changed before meeting the family, but had opted to let her sleep when they passed through South Reach’s main town a few leagues back. 

For the past month, all the bundle did was cry, eat, and sleep, while her mother struggled to recover from nearly dying first at the whim of an ancient elven god and later during childbirth. Losing her left arm and the wreck-havocked Anchor broke Evie’s water over a month early. They had hoped to have the new Rutherford family member in Skyhold and _definitely not _in Orlais, but Solas’ hacking off her arm changed all that. Alas, it seemed her former confidante felt terrible for the consequence, coming into Evie’s fever labor dreams to heal her through the Fade. The ancient god gave both mother and child enough chance to survive the nearly twenty-hour long delivery.

Afterwards, Cullen’s multi-tasking mind crumbled with the shifting priorities. Between retiring the Inquisition’s army, shutting up Skyhold, finalizing the sanctuary land transfer, _and_ his family, Evie worried he would finally crack…for the beautiful and right reasons. Cassandra and Josephine stuck around a week later than expected, babysitting while Evie got some much needed rest and recovery and Cullen ran around like a new overly protective father. Aunt Cassandra and Uncle Rylen promised the bundle they would come and visit her favorite niece when Rylen arrived to detox. Evidently, Cassandra could put her seeker duties on hold to support her husband through lyrium withdrawal…or was it the chance to play with her godchild more…?

“A baby, Mama!” The eldest blonde curly hair daughter called, reaching the travelling family first. The girl, about eleven years old, smiled ear-to-ear, while shifting the small boy on her hip.

Evie could _felt_ the imaginary cart wheel screech to a halt and the tension burst from the group. The matriarch stopped, amber eyes widening and boring into both Evie and Cullen. “Baby!?”

Cullen squirmed and bounced from boot to boot like the first time he talked to Evie all those years ago in Haven. “Um- U-u-u-uh- Mia, I-I-I-I would like to i-i-introduce my w-w-w-wife, Eve, and a-a-a-a-nd our new d-d-d-aughter, Diana Gwendolyn Rutherford.”

Evie estimated about fifteen sets of mouths between children, toddlers, and adults fell open in shock and surprise. Utter silence, even from newborn Diana, fell over the group. From Cullen’s childhood stories, this probably the most quiet the entire clan had ever been.

The matriarch, Mia, shut her mouth first. The intensity and emotion behind her amber eyes told the inferno mage everything flowing her mind: shock, awe, hurt, relief, and so many more. She took a small step forward, placed her own toddler on the ground, and held her hands at her stomach. She took two deep breaths and squeezed the now pouring tears out of her shining eyes. 

With a huge smile, Mia hiccupped, “Welcome home.”


End file.
